General social security benefit to replace Kela-paid unemployment benefits in May 2026

Parliament has approved the government proposal on the general social security benefit (yleistuki).

The general social security benefit is a new form of financial assistance that will be introduced to the Finnish social security system. It is intended for unemployed jobseekers who do not qualify for or have used up their earnings-related unemployment allowance (ansiopäiväraha). You must apply for the general social security benefit from Kela.

In the first phase, the general social security benefit will replace the existing labour market subsidy (työmarkkinatuki) and basic unemployment allowance (peruspäiväraha) in May 2026. This means that labour market subsidy and basic unemployment allowance will stop being paid when the general social security benefit is implemented.

The intention is for the general social security benefit to be extended to cover more benefits later on. The next steps after the first phase of the implementation of the general social security benefit have yet to be decided.

General social security benefit to be adjusted based on earned income

The basic amount of the general social security benefit is EUR 37.21 per day (about EUR 800 per month) in 2026. It corresponds to the existing labour market subsidy and basic unemployment allowance.

If you also have earned income (wages or salary), the general social security benefit will be adjusted to take your earned income into account. This is also currently the case with unemployment benefits.

Half of the gross (before taxes) salary or wages you earn from part-time work will be deducted from your general social security benefit. This means that, for example, if you earn EUR 1,000 per month, EUR 500 will be deducted from your general social security benefit.

Capital income affects how much general social security benefit you can get

The general social security benefit is paid to the unemployed, and it is means-tested. This means that you have to be in need of financial assistance to qualify for the general social security benefit.

The general social security benefit being a means-tested benefit also means that if you have other income that is not wages or salary, that income can reduce the amount of benefit you can get. Capital income is an example of this kind of income.

In addition to capital income, other types of income that can reduce the amount you can get include

• informal care allowance
• partial early old-age pension
• compensations for family caregivers
• copyright royalties.

If you get more than EUR 311 per month in capital income or other income that is not salary or wages, half of this amount will be deducted from your general social security benefit.

The amount you can get is not affected by your savings or assets, such as a car, house or apartment, or money in your bank account. The income of your partner or roommate also does not affect how much you can get.

Parental income can affect the general social security benefit

If you live with your parents while Kela pays you the general social security benefit, their income can affect how much you can get similarly to how parental income currently affects labour market subsidy.

However, your general social security benefit will not be affected if your parents’ combined income does not exceed EUR 2,500 per month. This income limit increases by EUR 106 for every child under the age of 18 who lives in the same household as your parents.

If your parents’ combined monthly income exceeds EUR 2,500, half of the amount that exceeds EUR 2,500 will be deducted from the general social security benefit paid to you.

However, you will always get at least 35% of the full general social security benefit.

Kela will start paying you the general social security benefit automatically if you are paid unemployment benefits

If you get labour market subsidy or basic unemployment allowance when Kela starts paying the general social security benefit, Kela will automatically transfer you under the general social security benefit.

If your unemployment continues, stay registered as an active jobseeker with the employment services and continue to regularly file unemployment status reports in the OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish) every 4 weeks. Kela will stop paying you labour market subsidy and basic unemployment allowance and start paying you the general social security benefit from the beginning of May 2026.

If your earnings-related unemployment allowance is about to end, you can get the general social security benefit from Kela immediately after it does. Stay registered as an active jobseeker with the employment services and apply for the general social security benefit in OmaKela.

General social security benefit as part of a social security reform

Kela has been paying basic unemployment allowance since 1985 and the labour market subsidy since 1994.

In 2024, Kela paid a total of EUR 1,912 million in unemployment benefits. Altogether 80,726 recipients were paid basic unemployment allowance in 2024 while 241,449 recipients got labour market subsidy.

The general social security benefit is part of a larger social security reform planned by the Government. The goal of Petteri Orpo’s Government is to simplify and clarify the Finnish social security system and to provide better incentives for the unemployed to seek and retain employment.

The Act on the General Social Security Benefit will enter into force on 1 May 2026. Kela publishes updates on the general social security benefit on its Unemployment page and provides instructions on how to apply for it in OmaKela.

More information

• Kela – Frequently asked questions about the general social security benefit
• Kela – OmaKela e-service (available in Finnish and Swedish)
• Kela’s Info Tray – Statistical Yearbook on Unemployment Protection in Finland 2024
• Ministry of Social Affairs and Health: Government proposal to Parliament on the Act on General Social Security Benefit HE 112/2025 vp (stm.fi, in Finnish only)